ares people
at night in the woods. The white owl lives by the sea, and in cold
places, and looks something like a hawk. There is a kind of owl that
makes holes to live in like moles. It is called the burrowing owl, and
is very small. The barn-owl is the commonest kind; and I have watched
one sitting in a hole in a tree, looking like a little gray cat, with
one eye shut and the other open. He comes out at dusk, and sits round
waiting for the bats. I caught one, and here he is."

With that Nat suddenly produced from inside his jacket a little downy
bird, who blinked and ruffled his feathers, looking very plump and
sleepy and scared.

"Don't touch him! He is going to show off," said Nat, displaying his new
pet with great pride. First he put a cocked hat on the bird's head,
and the boys laughed at the funny effect; then he added a pair of paper
spectacles, and that gave the owl such a wise look that they shouted
with merriment. The performance closed with making the bird angry, and
seeing him cling to a handkerchief upside down, pecking and "clucking,"
as Rob called it. He was allowed to fly after that, and settled himself
on the bunch of pine-cones over the door, where he sat staring down at
the company with an air of sleepy dignity that amused them very much.

"Have you anything for us, George?" asked Mr. Bhaer, when the room was
still again.

"Well, I read and learned ever so much about moles, but I declare I've
forgotten every bit of it, except that they dig holes to live in, that
you catch them by pouring water down, and that they can't possibly live
without eating very often;" and Stuffy sat down, wishing he had not been
too lazy to write out his valuable observations, for a general smile
went round when he mentioned the last of the three facts which lingered
in his memory.

"Then we are done for to-day," began Mr. Bhaer, but Tommy called out in
a great hurry,

"No we ain't. Don't you know? We must give the thing;" and he winked
violently as he made an eye-glass of his fingers.

"Bless my heart, I forgot! Now is your time, Tom;" and Mr. Bhaer dropped
into his seat again, while all the boys but Dan looked mightily tickled
at something.

Nat, Tommy, and Demi left the room, and speedily returned with a little
red morocco box set forth in state on Mrs. Jo's best silver salver.
Tommy bore it, and, still escorted by Nat and Demi, marched up to
unsuspecting Dan, who stared at them as if he thought they were going t